PUD planning for water main contingency

General Manager Dave Tramblie on Tuesday presented a plan to deal with any potential water main breaks on the Puget Island bridge while the Washington State Department of Transportation makes repairs at the Wahkiakum County PUD Board of Commissioners meeting.

Tramblie recently hired a Seattle company that uses drones to get a video of the length of the water main in order to assess its condition. He presented the two minute video to the commissioners.

The video showed a spot on the north end of the bridge where the water main had been repaired at some time in the past.

"I've heard two stories," Tramblie said. "Back in 1984 the water was shut off and the main froze. And then I heard there was a ship that came through at one time and possibly hit it."

The patch concerns Tramblie.

"We need to be prepared," Tramblie said. Given the fact that the contractor is going to be on that bridge for a couple years, I am making provisions for emergency repairs and intend to work with emergency management here in Cathlamet to have correct verbiage sent out on a reverse 911 should the water main break. I've spoken to the Department of Health and indicated to them that our emergency plan would be to work with the local fire departments to place a fire hose across the bridge and connect the hydrant on both ends."

Commissioner Bob Jungers praised Tramblie for being proactive.

In other matters, Tramblie said that it would take about 30 weeks to fill an order for a new transformer and that it would require a 20 percent down payment for a piece of equipment that will cost about $200,000, not including delivery.

The water crew found a service line break on Puget Island on Friday and fixed it that afternoon.

"It was fairly large," Tramblie said, "we went through a lot of water."

Commissioner Dennis Reid revisited the matter of obtaining water rights for Puget Island after learning a little more from some colleagues.

"We could get the process started without spending the six figures like the engineers have said." Reid said. "Also these guys told me that because of our location, we should be one of the most successful places in the state in getting a water right because we are tidal influenced. It sounds like if it is something we pursue we have a good chance of getting it approved down the line."